LAMPa Announces Rev. Khader El-Yateem as Gala Keynote
LAMPa is pleased to announce the Rev. Khader El-Yateem as keynote speaker for our 45th Anniversary Gala Celebration of Advocates on May 9! El-Yateem, the newly appointed Executive Director of the Service and Justice home area of the ELCA, will encourage us in our call to be church together
National Shortage of Affordable Rental Housing; PA No Exception
On March 14, 2024 the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) released its annual report The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes. This year’s report finds that the lowest-income renters in the U.S. face a shortage of 7.3 million affordable and available rental homes. In Pennsylvania alone, the report finds a
Path to Pennie offers way to get health coverage while filing taxes
From the ELCA's Social Statement on Healthcare (2003): "Health is central to our well-being, vital to relationships, and helps us live out our vocations in family, work, and community. Caring for one’s own health is a matter of human necessity and good stewardship. Caring for the health of others expresses
Statement from the ELCA Conference of Bishops in solidarity with migrants in Texas
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Matthew 25:35). ITASCA, Ill. (March 4, 2024) - We, the members of the Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
ELCA Conference of Bishops calls for a permanent bilateral cease-fire in Gaza
ITASCA, Ill. – The Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is adding its voice to the growing group of faith leaders urgently calling for a permanent bilateral cease-fire in Gaza. We urge President Joe Biden, our legislators, and all who lead and make decisions on
In a Pivotal State, Ways to Serve our Neighbor in an Election Year
ELCA Young Adults support civic engagement at the ELCA World Hunger Leadership Gathering in February in Houston, Texas. Participants include (from left to right) Savannah Jorgensen, Brooke Helfers, Erin Brown, Autumn Byars, Tomo Duke, Naomi Mbise, Frances Dobbs, Kayla Zopfi, Quentin Bernhard, William Milner. On Feb. 29, Gov.
PA Advocates Can Celebrate National School Breakfast Week With a Win and a Challenge
LAMPa hunger advocates and students can celebrate National School Breakfast Week (March 4-8) with a win and a challenge this year. In December, universal free school breakfast, which had been implemented during the pandemic, was made permanent with enactment in the Pennsylvania School Code. For years, LAMPa has been
LAMPa’s Period Poverty Postcard Campaign
Join LAMPa in supporting measures to end period poverty in Pennsylvania, beginning March 8, International Women’s Day!* Period poverty – the inability to afford menstrual hygiene products – has gained more and more attention in recent years, though the issue is nothing new. For generations, those who experience menstruation
Earth Day 2024 Resources
LAMPa encourages congregations, conferences, synods, or other gatherings to host an Earth Day Vigil, acknowledging the ways in which we humans have failed to care for God’s good creation, and to place our hope in the Good Shepherd who redeems and restores all in love. This Vigil Liturgy can
LAMPa Presence at ELCA World Hunger Leadership Gathering
Pennsylvania synod hunger leaders, LAMPa Director Tracey DePasquale and ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow Quentin Bernhard joined fellow hunger leaders from around the country and world at the ELCA World Hunger Leadership Gathering, Feb, 1-4 in Houston, Texas. The gathering celebrated 50 years of ELCA World Hunger and included service-learning site